Absolutely terrifyingly bad customer services experience.
<p>I share this tale of retail terror in the hope that some attention is paid to it and hopefully some form of justice is received as I am absolutely sick of retail giants thinking they can push around the consumer and no heed is given to this. I have just arrived back at my office after spending (read wasting) approximately an hour plus at the Liberty Mall Game in Pietermaritzburg. On 24/05/2016 an adverti*****t was published in the Beeld newspaper noting the sale of a brand name laptop at an almost, scratch that, completely unbelievable price. Not being one to miss an opportunity I immediately started planning to buy (a few) of these items. Today when I went to the store they (rudely and arrogantly) advised me that the advert placed was incorrect and that they are not offering it. I then, completely within my rights advised them that the Consumer Protection Act clearly states that the advertised priced denotes a binding agreement. After informing the store manager (one Marlin Govender) he advised that I should have known it is an error and that "if they had a million, they would've sold a million" which turned out to be is sole line of defence (or perhaps the sum total of his vocabulary?). In turn I told him that if this was the case, why are there not a single notification in the store advising that the adverti*****t was incorrect? Of course his reply then was that "but we (employees of the store) know about it." Whilst I was speaking to him, another employee then ninja'ed himself behind me and put up the note they received by email apologising for the error - I confronted him about this and he said, much like my patience at that point, "but it is up." After another attempt of informing the store manager that I will take this further and that he is not acting fairly, he delightfully interrupted me mid-sentence and advised "I'm not interested, you're not getting anything." He subsequently turned around and walked away from me. By this time still not a single employee (there was one friendly employee at least, thanks for lending me your pen, mate) thought it a good idea to APOLOGISE for their mistake, but kept on somehow trying to tell me I'm wrong. Luckily for me there was another irate customer there whom was also cheated out of fairness and was more than happy to agree to give me his details as an independent witness if this goes as far as legal action. I really hope this gets out there and that an example can be made out of Game that much like citizens of SA, the consumer is tired of sitting back and being bul****!</p>
We acknowledge receipt of your complaint and apologize for your inconvenience in this matter.
We refer you to an email requesting your contact details. On receipt thereof we will escalate the matter to the Regional Manager to attend to.
Regards.
Rina Taute
Group Customer Service Advisor
Tel: ***73
We acknowledge receipt of your complaint and apologize for your inconvenience in this matter.
We refer you to an email requesting your contact details. On receipt thereof we will escalate the matter to the Regional Manager to attend to.
Regards.
Rina Taute
Group Customer Service Advisor
Tel: ***73
Further to the above matter we confirm that the Regional Manager did contact you to explain that we cannot honour this price as the prices in Kwa Zulu Natal advert was the correct price. Furthermore we are in line with the CPA in that apologies was visible in the areas where the price was incorrect.
Regards.
Rina Taute
Group Customer Service Advisor
Tel: ***73
Further to the above matter we confirm that the Regional Manager did contact you to explain that we cannot honour this price as the prices in Kwa Zulu Natal advert was the correct price. Furthermore we are in line with the CPA in that apologies was visible in the areas where the price was incorrect.
Regards.
Rina Taute
Group Customer Service Advisor
Tel: ***73
It is such an immense pity that I did not see this response at the time as I would've then added lying to the list of Game's incompetence - The floor manager at Game Liberty Midlands Mall at the time is a blatant **** if he said any apologies were visible. Only after i queried this they started jumping around to put signs up - Is this truly supposed to show Game has morals and worth?
In fact, considering I'm qualified with a legal degree I was so kind as to tell him exactly what the requirements are - He could not care less.
So no, you were certainly not in line with CPA. In terms of law the offer provided to the public was the standing offer - There was NOTHING in the store as alleged apologising about any incorrect pricing.
If he was a semi decent human being about it, I might've accepted it - But to this day I'm immensely annoyed at him saying I can't be ridiculous to think they can sell it at that price. Compounded by his rudeness and absolute lack of any form of PR knowledge.
Marlin Govender could literally not have handled the situation worse.
The three year period for prescription is passed, so legally I won't be able to hold you to anything irrespective of the facts. This should clearly indicate that it has nothing to do with trying to gain the item at a reduced price, merely find the lies in your response as disgusting as the manager's actions in the store at the day making my out sound like a ******** while Game was in fact the cheats by not honouring their ads.
Also, you refer that KZN newspapers had the correct price - I saw it in the Beeld newspaper, this is national and would've been in all provinces, so merely another lie.
However, subsequent to this disaster, I found out that other inland branches actually honoured the offer and allowed sale at that price - Maybe it is just Liberty Midlands Mall who has no moral values, but won't take a chance to support any Game least it is an accepted culture in your stores nationwide.
Three years on I've made sure that I keep on spreading the word about Game's incompetence, this way the loss they avoided on the day has become the gift that keeps on giving.
And now that I saw this response I have a renewed vigor to ensure that I continue fighting the good fight to make sure Game Liberty Mall won't be able to make any other consumer feel like they are a ********.
I'll take a screen shot of these responses, and then go look for the photos I took where no apologies were visible, locate the gentleman's contact number whom advised he'll confirm the fact that there were no signs up at the time and then I'll rather just post on Facebook considering complaining to you was as futile as the complaint in store was.
So go on your merry way with this inadequate bunch of untruths you are spewing online as Game cannot be legally held liable for this any longer anyway. Just know, and tell Mr. Govender, that his actions and incompetence will carry on costing Game for as long as I have influence anywhere.
Especially after reinforcing the lies online like this.
Sincerely yours,
Ruan.
It is such an immense pity that I did not see this response at the time as I would've then added lying to the list of Game's incompetence - The floor manager at Game Liberty Midlands Mall at the time is a blatant **** if he said any apologies were visible. Only after i queried this they started jumping around to put signs up - Is this truly supposed to show Game has morals and worth?
In fact, considering I'm qualified with a legal degree I was so kind as to tell him exactly what the requirements are - He could not care less.
So no, you were certainly not in line with CPA. In terms of law the offer provided to the public was the standing offer - There was NOTHING in the store as alleged apologising about any incorrect pricing.
If he was a semi decent human being about it, I might've accepted it - But to this day I'm immensely annoyed at him saying I can't be ridiculous to think they can sell it at that price. Compounded by his rudeness and absolute lack of any form of PR knowledge.
Marlin Govender could literally not have handled the situation worse.
The three year period for prescription is passed, so legally I won't be able to hold you to anything irrespective of the facts. This should clearly indicate that it has nothing to do with trying to gain the item at a reduced price, merely find the lies in your response as disgusting as the manager's actions in the store at the day making my out sound like a ******** while Game was in fact the cheats by not honouring their ads.
Also, you refer that KZN newspapers had the correct price - I saw it in the Beeld newspaper, this is national and would've been in all provinces, so merely another lie.
However, subsequent to this disaster, I found out that other inland branches actually honoured the offer and allowed sale at that price - Maybe it is just Liberty Midlands Mall who has no moral values, but won't take a chance to support any Game least it is an accepted culture in your stores nationwide.
Three years on I've made sure that I keep on spreading the word about Game's incompetence, this way the loss they avoided on the day has become the gift that keeps on giving.
And now that I saw this response I have a renewed vigor to ensure that I continue fighting the good fight to make sure Game Liberty Mall won't be able to make any other consumer feel like they are a ********.
I'll take a screen shot of these responses, and then go look for the photos I took where no apologies were visible, locate the gentleman's contact number whom advised he'll confirm the fact that there were no signs up at the time and then I'll rather just post on Facebook considering complaining to you was as futile as the complaint in store was.
So go on your merry way with this inadequate bunch of untruths you are spewing online as Game cannot be legally held liable for this any longer anyway. Just know, and tell Mr. Govender, that his actions and incompetence will carry on costing Game for as long as I have influence anywhere.
Especially after reinforcing the lies online like this.
Sincerely yours,
Ruan.